Web page upload system, computer program, and recording medium

ABSTRACT

It is an object of the present invention to provide a web page uploading system which enables easy editing and uploading of a web page without specifying an upload area to which the web page is to be uploaded each time the web page is to be uploaded. When web editing software is launched while a web page is being browsed a client computer obtains data regarding an area in a web server where the web page is stored and the web page. When the web page edited by the web editing software is to be uploaded by the client computer, the client computer uploads the web page to the registered area in the web servers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a web page uploading system andparticularly, to a web page uploading system which enables easyuploading of an edited web page without specifying an upload area towhich the web page is to be uploaded, a computer program for achievingthe uploading system and a recording medium in which the computerprogram is stored.

2.Description of the Related Art

Web contents produced using an HTML or the like are conventionallyuploaded as follows. The web contents are first produced using asoftware tool for web page editing (hereinafter referred to as a “webediting program”) and the thus produced web contents are stored on alocal hard disk of a client computer. An FTP tool of an FTP program, aweb editing program or the like is next launched for uploading the webcontents to a web server. Then, a storage area (in a local hard disk) ofthe web contents to be uploaded is specified by operating the FTP tooland an upload area (a web server) of the web contents is specified.Thereafter, when file transfer is instructed, the web contents areuploaded into a predetermined folder in the web server.

However, the above uploading method has the following disadvantages.

Specifically, when web contents are first to be uploaded to a webserver, it is necessary to directly specify an upload area of the webserver where the web contents are to be uploaded. For example, in thecase where the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) designating a specificarea in a web server on the network is represented as“http://www.abc.ne.jp/˜yama” and web contents are to be uploaded to thisarea, it is necessary to input this character string to enter the URL inthe FTP tool. Further, in this case, the creator of the web page canonly imagine what menus and links are to be followed for browsing his orher own web page and it is difficult to intuitively understand how theweb page can be browsed.

Further, in the case of revising the once uploaded web page, it isnecessary to specify the upload area of the web contents to which therevised web contents are to be uploaded, similarly to the case of newlyuploading a web page. This is very troublesome for the user because theupload area of web contents has to be specified every time the onceuploaded web page is to be revised.

Furthermore, since the web contents have been once stored on a localhard disk, in the case of using another personal computer for editingthe web contents, it is necessary to copy the web contents underrevision on a removable media or the like for transferring them to theother personal computer.

Moreover in the case where the areas to which a web page can be uploadedare established separately for each set of web contents, it is necessaryto specify the upload area of the web contents for each set of webcontents. However, this operation is not only troublesome but may alsolead to erroneous specification of the upload area of the web contents.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a web pageuploading system which enables easy editing and uploading of a web pagewithout specifying an upload area to which the web page is to beuploaded each time the web page is to be uploaded, a computer programfor achieving the uploading system and a recording medium in which thecomputer program is stored.

The above object of the present invention can be accomplished by a webpage uploading system in which a client computer and a web server areconnected via a network and which is adapted for uploading a web pagefrom the client computer to the web server, the client computer havingarea registration capability for registering an area in the web serverwhere the web page is stored as an upload area of the web page while theweb page in the web server is being browsed.

According to the present invention, since the area in the web serverwhere the web page is stored can be automatically registered and the webpage to be uploaded is automatically uploaded to the area registered asthe upload area of the web page, it is possible to provide a web pageuploading system which can easily edit and upload a web page withoutspecifying the upload area of the web page each time the web page is tobe uploaded.

The above object of the present invention can be also accomplished by aweb page uploading system in which a client computer and a web serverare connected via a network and which is adapted for uploading a webpage from the client computer to the web server, the client computerhaving area registration capability for registering an area in the webserver where the web page is stored as an upload area of the web pagewhen a software tool for web page editing is launched while the web pagein the web server is being browsed and upload capability for uploadingthe web page edited by the software tool for web page editing to theupload area of the web.

According to the present invention, when a software tool for web pageediting is launched while the web page in the web server is beingbrowsed, the area in the web server where the web page is stored can beautomatically registered and when the web page has been edited and thethus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page is automaticallyuploaded to the area registered as the upload area of the web page.Therefore, it is possible to provide a web page uploading system whichcan easily edit and upload a web page without specifying an upload areaof the web page each time the web page is to be uploaded.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the client computer iscapable of obtaining data regarding the web page being browsed andcausing the software tool for web page editing to edit the web page.

According to this preferred aspect of the present invention, when asoftware tool for web page editing is launched while the web page in theweb server is being browsed, the web page is automatically downloaded toenable a web edit mode and when the web page has been edited and thethus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page is automaticallyuploaded to the area registered as the upload area of the web page.Therefore, it is possible to more easily edit and upload a web page.

The above object of the present invention can be also accomplished by aweb page uploading system in which a client computer and a web serverare connected via a network and which is adapted for uploading a webpage from the client computer to the web server, the client computerbeing capable of launching a software tool for web page editing when alink means provided on the web page is selected while the web page inthe web server is being browsed, having area registration capability forregistering the area in a web server pointed to by the link means as anupload area of the web page and having upload capability for uploadingthe web page edited by the software tool for web page editing to theupload area of the web page.

According to the present invention, when a link means is selected and asoftware tool for web page editing is launched, the area in the webserver pointed to by the link means as an upload area of the web page isautomatically registered and when the web page has been edited and thethus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page is automaticallyuploaded to the area registered as the upload area of the web page.Therefore, it is possible to provide a web page uploading system whichcan easily edit and upload a web page without specifying an upload areaof a web page each time the web page is to be uploaded.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the client computer iscapable of obtaining data regarding the web page of the area pointed toby the link means and causing the software tool for web page editing toedit the web page.

According to this preferred aspect of the present invention, when asoftware tool for web page editing is launched while the web page in theweb server is being browsed, the web page of the area pointed to by thelink means is automatically downloaded to enable a web edit mode andwhen the web page has been edited and the thus edited web page is to beuploaded, the web page is automatically uploaded to the area registeredas the upload area of the web page. Therefore, it is possible to moreeasily edit and upload a web page.

In a further preferred aspect of the present invention, the web serverincludes a list in which web page editorial authorization is registeredfor individual users and the link means consist solely of link meanspointing to web pages for which the individual users have editorialauthority.

According to this preferred aspect of the present invention, sinceauthorization to access each web page is restricted based on theeditorial authority of the user with respect to the web page taking intoaccount that the editorial authority with respect to each web pagedepends upon the user, and the software tool for web page editing islaunched only for a web page with respect to which the user haseditorial authority, each of the users can edit a web page without beingconcerned about his or her own editorial authority with respect to theweb page and it is therefore possible for each user to select a web pagewhich he or she has authority to edit without confusion.

In a further preferred aspect of the present invention, the clientcomputer has storage capability for storing a web page in the uploadarea after the start of editing by the software tool for web pageediting and prior to uploading.

According to this preferred aspect of the present invention, since a webpage being edited is not stored on the local hard disk but is stored ata specific area in the web server, it is possible to edit the web pagefrom any client computer connected to the network so long as the clientcomputer is logged onto the network and it is therefore possible to moreeasily edit and upload a web page.

The above object of the present invention can be also accomplished by acomputer program for enabling a client computer connected to a webserver via a network to register a specific area in the web server as anupload area of a web page where the web page is stored when a softwaretool for web page editing is launched while the web page in the webserver is being browsed and to upload the web page edited by thesoftware tool for web page editing to the upload area of the web page.

According to the present invention, when a software tool for web pageediting is launched while the web page in the web server is beingbrowsed, the area in the web server where the web page is stored can beautomatically registered and when the web page has been edited and thethus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page is automaticallyuploaded to the area registered as the upload area of the web page.Therefore, it is possible to provide a computer program which can easilyedit and upload a web page without specifying an upload area of a webpage each time the web page is to be uploaded.

The above object of the present invention can be also accomplished by acomputer program for enabling a client computer connected to a webserver via a network to launch a software tool for web page editing whena link means is selected on a web page in the web server being browsed,to register a specific area pointed to by the link means as an uploadarea of a web page and to upload the web page edited by the softwaretool for web page editing to the upload area of the web page.

According to the present invention, when a link means is selected and asoftware tool for web page editing is launched, the area in the webserver pointed to by the link means as an upload area of the web page isautomatically registered and when the web page has been edited and thethus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page is automaticallyuploaded to the area registered as the upload area of the web page.Therefore, it is possible to provide a computer program which can easilyedit and upload a web page without specifying the upload area of the webpage each time the web page is to be uploaded.

The above object of the present invention can be also accomplished by acomputer-readable recording medium in which is recorded a computerprogram for enabling a client computer connected to a web server via anetwork to register a specific area in the web server as an upload areaof a web page where the web page is stored when a software tool for webpage editing is launched while the web page in the web server is beingbrowsed and to upload the web page edited by the software tool for webpage editing to the upload area of the web page.

According to the present invention, when a software tool for web pageediting is launched while the web page in the web server is beingbrowsed, the area in the web server where the web page is stored can beautomatically registered and when the web page has been edited and thethus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page is automaticallyuploaded to the area registered as the upload area of the web page.Therefore, it is possible to provide a computer program which can easilyedit and upload a web page without specifying the upload area of the webpage each time the web page is to be uploaded.

The above object of the present invention can be also accomplished by arecording medium which can read using a computer a computer program forenabling a client computer connected to a web server via a network tolaunch a software tool for web page editing when a link means isselected on a web page in the web server being browsed, to register aspecific area pointed to by the link means as an upload area of a webpage and to upload the web page edited by the software tool for web pageediting to the upload area of the web page.

According to the present invention, when a link means is selected and asoftware tool for web page editing is launched, the area in the webserver pointed to by the link means as the upload area of the web pageis automatically registered and when the web page has been edited andthe thus edited web page is to be uploaded, the web page isautomatically uploaded to the area registered as the upload area of theweb page. Therefore, it is possible to provide a computer program whichcan easily edit and upload a web page without specifying an upload areaof the web page each time the web page is to be uploaded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a client-server system to which a webpage uploading method that is a preferred aspect of the presentinvention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a webserver 101 and a client computer 102.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a software configuration of a web server 101.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a software configuration of a client computer102.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing steps for uploading a web page in a firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing steps for uploading a web page in asecond preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing one example of a screen displayed on a clientcomputer which has been logged-in in the above mentioned web pageuploading methods.

FIG. 8 is a view showing one example of a main menu screen on a clientcomputer after log-in.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a list screen of a bulletin board which is oneof the contents provided on a web site.

FIG. 10 is a view showing one example of bulletin board (BB) contentsdisplayed on a client computer when one of titles in a list is clicked.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing steps for uploading a web page in athird preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a client-server system to which a webpage uploading method that is a preferred aspect of the presentinvention has been applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system includes a web server 101 and a clientcomputer 102 that are connected to a communication network such as aLAN, the Internet or the like. The web server 101 is constituted as apersonal computer or a work station having a data base containing webcontents. On the other hand, the client computer 102 is constituted as apersonal computer having web browsing capability and web editingcapability.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the webserver 101 and the client computer 102.

The web server 101 and the client computer 102 are constituted ascomputers and have the same basic configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, theweb server 101 and the client computer 102 each includes a CPU 201, amemory 202, a hard drive disk (HDD) 203, a removable disk drive 204which can reproduce data from and record data to recording media such asa flexible disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a DVD-ROM or the like, an input andoutput interface 205 and a network adapter 206, which are connected viaa bus 207. The web server 101 and the client computer 102 are eachconnected via the input and output interface 205 to a display 208, akeyboard 209, a mouse 210 and the like and are each connected via thenetwork adapter 206 to a communication network 103.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the software configuration of the web server101.

As shown in FIG. 3, the web server 101 includes a device driver 301, anoperating system 302 and application software 303. As the applicationsoftware 303, web server software 304, FTP software 305 and the like areinstalled. The web server 101 uses the web server software 304 totransmit web contents stored therein in response to requests from theclient computer 102 and launches a script. Further, the web server 101uses the FTP software 305 to receive web page uploads. Various programsother than the web server software 304 and the FTP software 305 may beinstalled in the web server 101.

Moreover, the web server 101 is provided with a user list 307 includinguser names and passwords for receiving the data base 306 of web contentsto be provided and log-ins from the client computer 102.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the software configuration of the clientcomputer 102.

As shown in FIG. 4, the client computer 102 includes a device driver401, an operating system (OS) 402 and application software 403. As theapplication software 403, a web browser 404 for achieving a web pagebrowsing function and a web editing program 405 for achieving a web pageediting function, and the web editing program 405 includes a softwaretool 406 for achieving an FTP function. The browsing, editing anduploading of a web page can be achieved using these programs.

Each of the functions of the web server 101 and the client computer 102can be achieved by installing the corresponding program in the hard diskdrive 203 of the computer, reading it from the hard disk drive 203 whenthe computer is started or when the program is executed, loading it inthe memory 202, and sequentially having the CPU 201 execute programs inaccordance with the software loaded in the memory 202.

These programs are supplied in the form of a recording medium such as aCR-ROM storing them, for example. When the recording medium is set inthe removable disk drive 204 and an installing operation is performed,the software is stored on the hard disk drive 203 and installed in theweb server 101 or the client computer 102. Further, various kinds ofsoftware may be downloaded into the web server 101 or the clientcomputer 102 via the Internet. In this case, the software is downloadedvia the network adapter 206 and installed in the web server 101 or theclient computer 102.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing steps for uploading a web page in a firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the web browser is first launched by the user and aweb page to be edited is browsed (S501). The web editing program is thenlaunched while the web page is being browsed (S502). It is preferablefor the web editing program to be launchable by clicking an icon buttonprovided on an operation screen of the web browser because this makesthe web editing program easy to launch.

When the web editing program is launched, the URL of an upload area anda web page to be edited are first obtained (S503 and S504). Since theURL of the web page, an HTML file and an image file constituting the webpage are cached in the web browser, these data can be obtained from theweb browser when the web page to be edited is being browsed by the webbrowser.

The URL obtained from the web browser is registered as an upload area ofthe web page to be edited in a web editing mode (S505). On the otherhand, data such as an HTML file and the like obtained from the webbrowser are displayed in the editing screen of the web editing programand a web editing mode is enabled (S506). Thus, the user can edit theweb page on the editing screen.

When the web page has been edited by the user and uploading isinstructed using the FTP tool incorporated in the web editing program(S507Y), the edited web page is uploaded to the URL registered at thestep S505 as the upload area of the web page (S508). Since the uploadarea of the web page has been already specified by launching the webediting program while the web page was being browsed, it is possible forthe user to upload the web page with a simple operation withoutspecifying the upload area of the web page.

In the case of newly adding a web page instead of editing an uploadedweb page, the following operation is conducted.

The user first launches the web browser and browses a web page in thesame directory as that in which a new web page is to be stored and thenlaunches the web editing program. When the web editing program islaunched, the URL of an upload area and the web page to be edited areobtained.

Here, since a web page is to be uploaded to substantially the same area,the URL is registered without being corrected as the upload area of theweb page. To the contrary, although a web page having no direct relationwith a new web page is displayed on the editing screen, it is possibleto produce a new web page without any particular trouble by clearing theweb page displayed on the editing screen, newly producing a web page andstarting to edit a blank web page or template.

In this manner, even in the case of newly producing a web page, it ispossible for the user to upload the web page with a simple operationwithout specifying the upload area of the web page.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing steps for uploading a web page in asecond preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the editing of another web page in a linked area isperformed by clicking a link button provided on a web page while the webpage is being browsed.

As shown in FIG. 6, the user launches a web browser and browses apredetermined web page provided with a link button linked with the webpage to be edited (S601). When a predetermined link button provided onthe web page is clicked (S602), a script associated with the link buttonis executed, whereby a web editing program is automatically launched(S603).

When the web editing program is automatically launched, the URL of anupload area and the web page to be edited are first obtained (S604 andS605). When the link button linked with the web page to be edited isclicked, since the screen jumps to the web page to be edited and the URLof the web page, an HTML file and an image file constituting the webpage are cached in the web browser, these data can be obtained from theweb browser.

The URL obtained from the web browser is registered as an upload area ofthe web page to be edited in a web editing mode (S606). On the otherhand, data such as an HTML file and the like obtained from the webbrowser are displayed in the editing screen of the web editing programand a web editing mode is enabled (S607). Thus, an editing mode isenabled and the user can edit the web page on the editing screen.

When the web page has been edited by the user and uploading isinstructed using the FTP tool incorporated in the web editing program(S608Y), the edited web page is uploaded to the URL registered at thestep S606 as the upload area of the web page (S609). Since the uploadarea of the web page has been already specified by launching the webediting program while the web page was being browsed, it is possible forthe user to upload the web page with a simple operation withoutspecifying the upload area of the web page.

The web page uploading methods shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are preferablyperformed only by the user with authority to change the contents of theweb page. In order to judge whether or not the user has such editingauthority, it is necessary to have the user log onto a web site, findweb pages whose contents can be changed by the user based on the log-ininformation and allow the user to edit and upload only the thus foundweb pages. Further, since a plurality of sets of contents are suppliedfrom a single web site, in the case where directories are establishedseparately for each of set of contents, it is preferable to register theupload area of a web page in accordance with its contents. A thusconstituted third preferred embodiment will be explained below using oneexample of a screen displayed on the client computer.

FIG. 7 is a view showing one example of a screen displayed on the clientcomputer which has been logged-in in the above mentioned web pageuploading methods.

When a web browser of the client computer has been launched and a website whose URL is http://www.abc.ne.jp/ has been accessed, the webserver jumps from the web site having the above mentioned URL to thathaving another URL and supplies a log-in screen to the client computer.At this time, the URL is represented by http://www.abc.ne.jp/login.htm,for example.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the log-in screen, a text box 701 for inputting auser name and a text box 702 for inputting a password are displayed.When the user name and the password are input by the user and an “OK”button 703 is clicked, the thus input user name and password aretransmitted to the web server. After the web server has authenticatedthe user name and the password, it permits the user to log in.

FIG. 8 is a view showing one example of a main menu screen on the clientcomputer after log-in.

As shown in FIG. 8, at this time, the URL is represented byhttp://www.abc.ne.jp/menu.htm login.htm, for example, and link buttons801 for selecting various contents such as a bulletin board, home pagesof individual users and the like are displayed in the main menu screen.When the user clicks one of the link buttons 801, a web page of thecorresponding contents is displayed. For example, when the “BB” button801 a is clicked by the user, the main screen of the bulletin board isdisplayed and when the “Individual User Home Page” button 801 b isclicked by the user, the main screen of the home pages is displayed.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a list screen of the bulletin board which isone of the contents provided on the web site.

As shown in FIG. 9, at this time, the URL is represented byhttp://www.abc.ne.jp/keijiban/list.htm, for example, and a list 901 ofbulletin board (BB) contents posted by a number of users is displayed inthe main screen of the bulletin board. When the user clicks one oftitles 902 indicated in the list 901, he or she can see the BB contentscorresponding thereto.

Further, a “Create” button 903 used for newly producing BB contents isprovided in the list screen and the user can newly produce BB contentsby clicking this button. Moreover, the user can edit and delete the BBcontents he or she created and in the case where there are BB contentswhich can be edited or deleted, an “Edit” button 904 and a “Delete”button are also displayed on one side of the title. Furthermore, asshown in FIG. 9, in the case where the user does not have authority toedit the BB contents, none of these buttons is displayed. Whether or notthe user has an editing authority is judged by checking the login username and the user name under which the BB contents contained in the dataconstituting the BB contents was produced. The user having editingauthority can edit BB contents by clicking the corresponding “Edit”button 904 and can delete BB contents by clicking the corresponding“Delete” button.

FIG. 10 is a view showing one example of BB contents displayed on theclient computer when one of the titles in the list is clicked.

As shown in FIG. 10, at this time, the URL is represented byhttp://www.abc.ne.jp/keijiban/˜user1/page1.htm, for example, and BBcontents 1001 produced by the user and having the user name “user1” aredisplayed.

When an “Edit” button 904 for editing BB contents 1001 is clicked in themain screen of the bulletin board shown in FIG. 9, a script associatedtherewith is executed, whereby a web editing program is launched. Theweb editing program first obtains the URL of a web page and an HTML fileand the like from a web browser.

Since a URL of the web page, an HTML file and an image file constitutingthe web page are cached in the web browser, these data can be obtainedfrom the web browser when the “Edit” button 904 linked with the web pageof the BB contents 1001 shown in FIG. 10 is clicked.

The thus obtained URL is registered as an upload area of the edited webpage by the FTP tool incorporated in the web editing program. On theother hand, data such as an HTML file and the like obtained from the webbrowser are displayed in the editing screen of the web editing programand a web editing mode is enabled. In the web editing mode, when the webpage has been edited by the user and the uploading of the web page isinstructed, the upload area of the web page is identified from the URLand the web page is uploaded to the thus identified upload area.

In this manner, since the user name and the password are obtained whenthe client computer logs on and based on the user name and the password,the web editing program is launched only for the web pages which theuser has authority to edit, so that only the web page which the user hasauthority to access can be edited. Further, when the web editing tool islaunched after log-in, the web page is automatically downloaded toenable an editing mode and when the editing of the web page has beencompleted and the thus edited web page is uploaded, the web page isautomatically uploaded to the area registered as an upload area of theweb page. Therefore, since it is possible to remove the burden ofrepeatedly specifying an upload area of a web page, it is possible toprovide a tool by which maintenance can be effected on a web page in adesired manner.

When the “Create” button 903 for newly producing BB contents 1001 isclicked in the main screen of the bulletin board shown in FIG. 9, ascript associated therewith is executed, whereby a web editing programis launched. The web editing program first produces a new URL based onthe URL associated with the “Create” button 903 and the log-in username. For example, based on the URL “http://www.abc.ne.jp/keijibanf/”associated with the “Create” button 903 and the user name “user1”, a URL“http://www.abc.ne.jp/keijiban/˜user” is identified as an upload area ofa web page.

The thus newly produced URL is registered as an upload area of theedited web page by the FTP tool incorporated in the web editing program.

On the other hand, the web editing program displays a blank web page onthe editing screen or selects a desired template file from a group oftemplate files to enable a web editing mode. In the web editing mode,when the web page has been edited by the user and the uploading of theweb page is instructed, the upload area of the web page is identifiedfrom the URL and the web page is uploaded to the thus identified uploadarea.

In this manner, when the web editing tool is launched at an area wherethe user wishes to store a new web page, the area is once registered bythe web editing tool and when a web page is produced and the producedweb page is uploaded, the web page is automatically uploaded to the areaobtained as an upload area of the web page. Therefore, even in the casewhere web pages have hierarchical structures over a plurality of pagesand include complicated links, it is possible for the user tointuitively grasp beforehand where the his or her own web page is storedamong the all web pages and what menus lead to the user's own web page.Therefore, it is possible to provide a tool by which maintenance can beeffected on a web page in a desired manner.

In this preferred embodiment, although a web page being edited is storedon the local hard disk of the client computer and is not stored on theweb server until uploading is performed, a web page being edited may bestored on the web server.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing steps for uploading a web page in athird preferred embodiment of the present invention. Here, explanationabout the same steps as those in FIG. 5 will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 11, when a web editing mode is enabled (S506), the usercan edit a web page on the editing screen and at the same time, the webpage being edited is automatically stored as a temporary file at aspecific area in the web server which is an upload area of the web page(S510Y and S512). This automatic storing of a web page is repeated atregular intervals. In the case where the user voluntarily stores a webpage being edited, a specific area in the web server is specified as anupload area of the web page and the web page being edited is stored onthe web server (S511Y and S512).

Thereafter, when the uploading of the edited web page is instructed bythe user (S507Y), the web page is uploaded to the URL registered at thestep S505 as an upload area of the web page (S508).

In the case where the web page being edited is preliminary stored on theweb server in this manner after the program tool for web page editingstarted to edit the web page and before the web page is uploaded, it ispossible to directly access a web file stored at the area reserved inthe web server from any one of the client computers without employing aremovable disk and transferring the web page being edited to anotherclient computer and edit the web page. In this case, the area in the webserver to which the edited web page is to be actually uploaded may beused as a preliminary storing area or it is possible to reserve aseparate area exclusively used as a preliminary storing area in the webserver.

The present invention has thus been shown and described with referenceto specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the presentinvention is in no way limited, to the details of the describedarrangements but changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims.

For example, in the above described preferred embodiments, although theexplanation was made as to the case where the web page is compiled usingHTML, it is not absolutely necessary to compile a web page using HTMLand a web page may be compiled using any language such as SGML, XML orthe like.

Further, in the above described preferred embodiments, although theexplanation was made as to the case where two kinds of software, namely,the web browser for browsing a web page and the web editing program forediting and uploading a web page are installed and the FTP tool isincorporated in the web editing program, application of the presentinvention is not limited to this case and it is possible to install anindependent program for each function or a single program integratingthe three functions.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possibleto provide a web page uploading system which enables easy editing anduploading of a web page without specifying an upload area to which theweb page is to be uploaded each time the web page is to be uploaded, acomputer program for achieving the upload system and a recording mediumin which the computer program is stored.

All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications,U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applicationsand non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/orlisted in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein byreference, in their entirety.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specificembodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, various modifications may be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is notlimited except as by the appended claims.

1. A web page uploading system in which a client computer and a webserver are connected via a network and which is adapted for uploading aweb page from the client computer to the web server, the client computerhaving area registration capability for registering an area in the webserver where the web page is stored as an upload area of the web pagewhile the web page in the web server is being browsed.
 2. A web pageuploading system in which a client computer and a web server areconnected via a network and which is adapted for uploading a web pagefrom the client computer to the web server, the client computer havingarea registration capability for registering an area in the web serverwhere the web page is stored as an upload area of the web page when asoftware tool for web page editing is launched while the web page in theweb server is being browsed and upload capability for uploading the webpage edited by the software tool for web page editing to the upload areaof the web.
 3. A web page uploading system in accordance with claim 2,wherein the client computer is capable of obtaining data regarding theweb page being browsed and causing the software tool for web pageediting to edit the web page.
 4. A web page uploading system in which aclient computer and a web server are connected via a network and whichis adapted for uploading a web page from the client computer to the webserver, the client computer being capable of launching a software toolfor web page editing when a link means provided on the web page isselected while the web page in the web server is being browsed, havingarea registration capability for registering the area in a web serverpointed to by the link means as an upload area of the web page andhaving upload capability for uploading the web page edited by thesoftware tool for web page editing to the upload area of the web page.5. A web page uploading system in accordance with claim 4, wherein theclient computer is capable of obtaining data regarding the web page ofthe area pointed to by the link means and causing the software tool forweb page editing to edit the web page.
 6. A web page uploading system inaccordance with claim 4, wherein the web server includes a list in whichweb page editorial authorization is registered for individual users andthe link means consist solely of link means pointing to web pages forwhich the individual users have editorial authority.
 7. A web pageuploading system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the web serverincludes a list in which web page editorial authorization is registeredfor individual users and the link means consist solely of link meanspointing to web pages for which the individual users have editorialauthority.
 8. A web page uploading system in accordance with claim 2,wherein the client computer has storage capability for storing a webpage in the upload area after the start of editing by the software toolfor web page editing and prior to uploading.
 9. A web page uploadingsystem in accordance with claim 3, wherein the client computer hasstorage capability for storing a web page in the upload area after thestart of editing by the software tool for web page editing and prior touploading.
 10. A web page uploading system in accordance with claim 4,wherein the client computer has storage capability for storing a webpage in the upload area after the start of editing by the software toolfor web page editing and prior to uploading.
 11. A web page uploadingsystem in accordance with claim 5, wherein the client computer hasstorage capability for storing a web page in the upload area after thestart of editing by the software tool for web page editing and prior touploading.
 12. A web page uploading system in accordance with claim 6,wherein the client computer has storage capability for storing a webpage in the upload area after the start of editing by the software toolfor web page editing and prior to uploading.
 13. A web page uploadingsystem in accordance with claim 7, wherein the client computer hasstorage capability for storing a web page in the upload area after thestart of editing by the software tool for web page editing and prior touploading.
 14. A computer program for enabling a client computerconnected to a web server via a network to register a specific area inthe web server as an upload area of a web page where the web page isstored when a software tool for web page editing is launched while theweb page in the web server is being browsed and to upload the web pageedited by the software tool for web page editing to the upload area ofthe web page.
 15. A computer program for enabling a client computerconnected to a web server via a network to launch a software tool forweb page editing when a link means is selected on a web page in the webserver being browsed, to register a specific area pointed to by the linkmeans as an upload area of a web page and to upload the web page editedby the software tool for web page editing to the upload area of the webpage.
 16. A computer-readable recording medium in which is recorded acomputer program for enabling a client computer connected to a webserver via a network to register a specific area in the web server as anupload area of a web page where the web page is stored when a softwaretool for web page editing is launched while the web page in the webserver is being browsed and to upload the web page edited by thesoftware tool for web page editing to the upload area of the web page.17. A recording medium which can read using a computer a computerprogram for enabling a client computer connected to a web server via anetwork to launch a software tool for web page editing when a link meansis selected on a web page in the web server being browsed, to register aspecific area pointed to by the link means as an upload area of a webpage and to upload the web page edited by the software tool for web pageediting to the upload area of the web page.